Three 麻豆精选 drag queens have come together to launch a collective designed to not only support Okanagan drag queens but to create more spaces and opportunities for such queens to perform throughout the valley.
The Okanagan Drag Collective (OKDC) 鈥� currently composed of Ella Lamoureux, Jenna Telz and Chastity Caige 鈥� hosted their first show as a co-op at 麻豆精选鈥檚 DunnEnzies Pizza Mission location on Saturday (Nov. 20), featuring local drag queen Bell Ini as the group鈥檚 first guest performer.
As Telz puts it, OKDC is a collective effort by drag queens for drag queens.
鈥淎 lot of the time, for bookings and stuff, we鈥檙e booked by a promoter who sells tickets for $20 and sells 100 of them and only gives us $150,鈥� said Telz. 鈥淲hat we do is we split it all equally instead, so we end up doing better. It鈥檚 more of a democratic way of running a business because the workers are the owners.鈥�
In addition to 麻豆精选, the OKDC is planning on hosting shows in Vernon, Penticton, Salmon Arm and Kamloops. The idea is that the three current members will travel throughout the Okanagan and feature a guest at each show, which would ideally be a local queen from the respective town. As the group travels and performs, the plan is to add permanent members to the OKDC.
鈥淲e always need to be supportive. That鈥檚 one thing I find that a lot of people forget, like (RuPaul鈥檚) Drag Race as well. They forget that this started out as a sisterhood and that鈥檚 working together to create change,鈥� said Lamoureux.
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 all one for themselves, so we鈥檙e just bringing it back to how it used to be, which is us having fun together, unified and building each other up instead of bringing each other down.鈥�
By working together, Lamoureux said, drag queens will be working more.
鈥淲e realized that it鈥檚 better to have a community or a collective so we can work together and build instead of having one person do their thing,鈥� she said.
READ MORE: Creating Queens: 麻豆精选鈥檚 Indigenous drag queens use their platforms to inspire
In the OKDC, everyone gets paid the same amount, from the core members to the guests involved.
鈥淭he goal of a worker collective or a co-op is to provide employment for the employees. So, instead of having someone who owns a business trying to make money off of what we do, we are making money ourselves,鈥� said Telz. 鈥淲e are the business altogether.鈥�
The OKDC is hoping to build towards hosting three to four shows a week throughout venues across the Okanagan Valley. By creating more spaces for queens to perform, the hope is that this will also help pave the way for more safe and comfortable spaces for Okanagan鈥檚 queer community.
鈥淓veryone has a space that would make them feel the most comfortable,鈥� said Caige. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be able to provide those spaces, and also provide work and experience for local drag queens.鈥�
The OKDC鈥檚 second show is scheduled at Penticton鈥檚 Brexit Pub on Dec. 16. Two more shows are scheduled in 麻豆精选 at DunnEnzies Pizza Mission location on Dec. 18: an all-ages show at 1 p.m. and a late show at 8 p.m. Tickets are available here.
READ MORE: 麻豆精选鈥檚 drag story
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